Toothbrush handle for interconnecting a bristled head and a pressurized toothpaste container

ABSTRACT

A TOOTHBRUSH HANDLE FOR CONNECTING A PRESSURIZED CONTAINER OF TOOTHPASTE WITH A BRISTLED TOOTHBRUSH HEAD, AND COMPRISISNG AN ELONGATED, HAND-HOLDABLE COMPONENT PROVIDED WITH A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SUPPLY PASSAGE AND A VALVE CONTROL ELEMENT. THE SUPPLY PASSAGE COMMUNICATES ADJACENT ONE END WITH THE DISCHARGE PORT OF THE PRESSURIZED TOOTHPASTE CONTAINER AND ADJACENT THE OTHER END WITH A PASTE DISTRIBUTION PASSAGE IN THE BRUSHING HEAD. THE VALVE CONTROL ELEMENT IS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH AND CONTROLS A PASTE DISCHARGE VALVE ON THE PRESSURIZED CONTAINER SO AS TO PERMIT SELECTIVE DELIVERY OF PASTE TO THE BRUSHING HEAD.

SePl- 20, 1971 T. FERRO TOOTHBRUSH HANDLE FOR INTERCONNECTING ABRISATLED HEAD AND A PRESSURIZED TOOTHPASTE CONTAINER Filed Oct.

A Br/MZ INVENTORZ TOMASO FERRO ATTORNEY 3,606,555 TOOTHBRUSH HANDLE FORINTERCONNECTING A BRISTLED HEAD AND A PRESSURIZED TOOTHPASTE CONTAINERTomaso Ferro, 533 Grand St., Alameda, Calif. 94501 Filed oct. s, 1969,ser. No. 864,642 Int. Cl. A46b 5/02, .l1/02 U.S. Cl. 401-190 7 ClaimsABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE container so as to permit selective deliveryof paste to the brushing head.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally totoothbrush structure and more particularly to a toothbrush handle forinterconnecting and controlling the flow of toothpaste from apressurized toothpaste container to a bristleequipped brushing headhaving a paste distribution passage leading to the bristle area.

It is known in the prior art to provide toothbrushes having hollowhandles and means associated therewith for expressing toothpaste throughthe handle to the brushing head. Typically, the handle is loaded with asupply of toothpaste which is forced out to the bristle area by manuallymoving the piston with a push rod or screw. The present inventionconstitutes an improvement over the prior art by providing a handle thateliminates the need for manually forcing or hand feeding the toothpasteinto the bristle area of the brushing head. Instead, toothpaste isautomatically supplied to the bristle area by merely pressing a buttonon the handle, and the provision of such improvement is, among others,an object of the present invention.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toothbrush handle formechanically interconnecting a pressurized toothpaste container with abristle-equipped toothbrush head and for flow connecting the same sothat toothpaste can be delivered to the brushing head under theselective control of the user.

Still another object is that of providing a toothbrush handle that canbe quickly and easily connected with and disconnected from a brushinghead so as to enable interchange thereof, and that can be similarlyconnected and disconnected from a pressurized toothpaste container sothat one such container can be replaced with another when paste supply,or users taste, requires change.

Yet another object is in the provision of an improved toothbrush handleof the character described in which proper alignment and registration ofthe supply passage in the handle with the toothpaste discharge port ofthe pressurized container occurs automatically upon interconnection ofthe handle and container, and in which the orientation of the brushinghead relative to the handle and valve-control element provided therebycan be changed iUnited States Patent O Patented Sept. 20, 1971 ICCunobtrusive, is easy to manipulate with one or another of the digits ofthe hand, is operatively connected with the valve of such containerautomatically when the handle and a container are assembled, and isintegral with the handle.

Still a further object of the invention is that of providing aninexpensive and easily manufacturable toothbrush handle design forcarrying out the above objectives and advantages, others of which willbecome apparent as the specification develops.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The foregoing objects as well as others areachieved by a toothbrush handle consisting generally of an elongatedcomponent having a supply passage extending therethrough and beingjoinable at one end with a ybristleequipped head having a pastedistribution passage opening at one end into the bristle area. At theother end the elongated handle component is joinable with a pressurizedcontainer having a discharge port and a valve for controlling thedischarge of toothpaste therefrom. A valve control element is providedby the elongated handle component and operatively connects with thepressurized container valve. The handle supply passage extendslongitudinally therethrough and it communicates at one end with thedischarge port of the pressurized container and at its other end withthe paste distribution passage of the toothbrush head.

According to one aspect of the invention, the valve control element ismade an integral part of the elongated handle component and is hingedthereto by a narrow neck. A slot in which the valve control element ispositioned extends transversely across the entire width of the handlemember so that the manufacturing process by which it is fabricated maybe accomplished inexpensively and conveniently.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING A more detailed understanding of theinvention may be had by reading the following detailed description inconjunction with the attached drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view in partial cross-section showing thedetailed internal construction of a preferred embodiment of thetoothbrush handle in association with a brushing head or pressurizedcontainer;

FIG. 2 is a broken top plan view of a portion of the toothbrush handleshown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a broken elevational view of that portion of the toothbrushhandle shown in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. l, reference numeral 2designates a pressurized container filled with toothpaste. A cylindricalshell 4 and `closure plug 6 dene an enclosed cavity or pressurized space7 Nvithin which the toothpaste is stored under pressure. In theembodiment illustrated, the plug 6 is attached to shell 4 bycomplementary threads 8; however, other attachment schemes may be used.A tube 10 within the container is adopted to deliver the contentsthereof to a discharge port 11 defined at the outer end of a pair ofserially connected passages 12 and 14 formed in the plug 6, the latterof which is of greater cross-section and forms a valve chamber. The tube10 telescopes onto a neck or projection 15- provided at the inner end ofthe plug 46 and communicating with the valve chamber 14.

Located in the valve chamber 14 is a cylindrical valve element 16 havinga frusto-conical surface 18 at one end. Interposed between thefrusto-conical surface 118 of the valve and an abutment 20 provided bythe plug 6 is spring 22. Generally concentric with and extendinglongitudinally away from valve 16 is a valve stem 24. In its closedposition the valve 16 is biased by the spring 22 into sealing engagementwith an abutment or valve seat 26, but when a longitudinal force isexerted against the valve stem 24, valve 16 is moved out of sealingengagement with the seat 26 and toothpaste will ow outwardly through thechamber 14 around the valve 16 and out through discharge port 11.

Toothbrush handle 30 consists of an elongated component 32 having a boreor cavity extending longitudinally inward and provided alongsubstantially the entire length thereof with threads 36 and terminatingat its inner end in an annular chamber or manifold 38. At its outer end,the yplug 36 is threaded and it screws into and engages the threads 36of the plug 6. An O-ring 40 complements the seal provided by the screwthreads so that container 2 and toothbrush handle 32 are sealedtogether.

The end of the handle 30 connected to container 2 has dimensionscomparable to those of the container and sized to fit comfortably intothe hand of a user. However, the other end of the handle 30 must connectwith a toothbrush head 42 which is necessarily small enough to litcomfortably into a persons mouth. To achieve the transition betweenthese two dimensions, handle 30 necks down between points 43 and 44therealong to form a small end 46 having a threaded cavity 48 into whichthe head 42 is screwed.

The receiving cavity or manifold 38 formed by the end surface of plug 6and facing surface of the handle 30 is connected with a supply passage52 extending longitudinally through the handle from the manifold to thesmall end 46. A distribution passage 54 formed in the head 42 is alignedwith and communicates with the supply passage 52 so as to receivetoothpaste therefrom and supply the same to a bristle area 56 of thehead, as through a plurality of branch passages S8.

A valve control element 60 is provided along the handle 30 integrallytherewith, and it is dened by a transverse slot `62 formed by surfaces64, 66, and 68. The valve element 60 includes a depressible buttonmember 70 integrally connected to the elongated handle component 32 bythin neck 72.

A cylindrical valve stem passage 74 extends from receiving cavity 38 toslot 62, and the valve stem 24 projects slidably through the passage 74to make contact with button member 70, as shown in both FIGS. 1 and 3.

The valve 16 is normally closed, and to open the salme button member 70is pressed inwardly in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axisof the handle. The neck 72 acts as a hinge and causes the button toswing in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3,thereby displacing the stem 24 inwardly, or toward the right whichforces the valve 16 from the seat 26 and toothpaste will flow throughthe passage 12 and out of the discharge port 11, through the receivingcavity 38. supply passage 52 and distribution passage 54 into thebristle area 56.

To stop the flow of toothpaste, force is removed from button member 70whereupon the spring 22 forces the valve 16 to seal against the abutmentseat 26. Valve stem 24 in returning to its original position forcesbutton member 70 back to its original position. However, the naturalresilience of the material from which the handle 30 is made causes thehinge neck 72 to act as a spring as well as a hinge and complements theaction of the spring 22 in so far respects the button member 70returning to its original position.

Variant forms of valve control elements are possible such as, forexample, an independent piece inserted into slot 62 and movablelongitudinally or transversely to displace the stem 24. However, theembodiment shown in the drawing has the advantage of being inexpensivesince it may be formed in the same molding operation with the rest ofthe handle. ln this connection. it is advantageous that the slot 62extend completely through the 4 handle 30, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 sothat simple dies may be devised and used.

It is also important that the button member have sufficient clearance inslot 60 to allow hinging motion to take place. To this end, therectangular cross-section of the groove 62 and the somewhat triangularcross-section of button member 70 were especially advantageous. Theupper surface of button member 70 may be roughened (as shown byprotuberances to enhance the traction between the button and the usersnger.

The handle 30 may be formed of many different materials, andadvantageously a synthetic plastic material (a thermoplastic such aspolystyrene or polyethylene) may be used so that the handle can befabricated in an injection molding operation. Other materials can beused, but in any case the material must be suiciently rigid in theconvenient cross-sections shown so that the head 42 can be manipulatedin the usual manner to brush ones teeth, At the same time, however, thematerial must be sufficiently ilexible at the hinge 72 so that thebutton 70 can be depressed through a great number of cycles withoutsigniiicant fatigue, thereby enabling the handle to have a long life.

The head 42 is readily removed from the handle 30 so that interchange ofheads is afforded, and it will be observed that the head 42 can berotated to different angular positions relative to the handle 30 andpush button 70 thereof without disturbing the communication of thesupply passage 52 with the distribution passage 54 so that the bristles56 may be located relative to the button 70 in an orientationaccommodating the preferences of any particular user of the toothbrushassembly. `In this reference, it may be convenient for some users todisplace the button 70 with their thumb while another user may prefer toemploy the index finger or some other finger digit of the hand todepress the button.

Containers 2 are readily replaced on the handle 30 simply by unscrewingthe handle from the plug 6 of one container and threading it onto theplug of another container. It will be observed that an automaticcornmunication is established between the supply passage 52 anddischarge port 11 of any such container because of the interveningagency of the manifold 38. Since toothpaste is usually present withinthe manifold 38, it is in contact with valve stem 24 and serves as alubricant to facilitate longitudinal displacements thereof between theopen and closed positions of the valve element 16 upon displacement ofthe button 70.

What is claimed is:

1. A toothbrush handle joinable at one end with a bristle-equippedbrushing head having a paste distribution passage extending therethroughand opening at one end into the bristle area of such head for supplyingtoothpaste thereto and joiuable at its other end with a pressurizedcontainer having a discharge port and a valve for controlling thedischarge of toothpaste therefrom, said handle being an elongatedcomponent adapted to be hand held and being provided with alongitudinally extending supply passage communicable adjacent one endthereof with such -discharge port and adjacent its other end with suchpaste distribution passage, and said handle having a valve controlelement for operative connection with such valve and being movablebetween valve opening and valve closing positions so as to control thetiow of toothpaste from such discharge port, said valve control elementbeing movable in a direction substantially transverse to thelongitudinal axis of said elongated component and comprising a buttonmember hinged to said elongated component so as to impart limitedlongitudinal components to such substantially transverse movement,thereby enabling said button member to enforce displacement on suchvalve in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis ofsaid elongated component when said button member is depressed adirection substantially transverse theretQ.

2. The toothbrush handle of claim 1 wherein said elongated component isprovided with a transverse slot extending therethrough which receivessaid button member therein.

3. The toothbrush handle of claim 2 wherein said transverse slot has asubstantially rectangularly shaped cross-sectional profile and saidbutton member has a substantially triangularly shaped cross-sectionalprolile.

4. The toothbrush handle of claim 1 wherein said button member and saidelongated component are integrally connected by a narrow flexible neckdefining the aforesaid hinging of said button member to said elongatedcomponent.

S. A toothbrush handle joinable at one end with a bristle-equippedbrushing head having a paste distribution passage extending therethroughand opening at one end into the bristle area of such head for supplyingtoothpaste thereto and joinable at its other end with a pressurizedcontainer having a discharge port and a valve for controlling thedischarge of toothpaste therefrom, said handle being an elongatedcomponent adapted to be hand held and being provided with alongitudinally extending supply passage communicable adjacent one endthereof with such discharge port and adjacent its other end with suchpaste distribution passage, and said handle having a valve controlelement for operative connection with such valve and being movablebetween valve opening and valve closing position so as to control the owof toothpaste from Vsuch discharge port, said valve control elementbeing movable in a direction substantially transverse to thelongitudinal axis of said elongated component, said elongated componentbeing further characterized by having a cavity extending longitudinallyinward from the container-connectable end thereof and providing a rstsurface portion adjacent the containerconnectable end for engagementwith such pressurized container and a second surface portion dening atoothpaste receiving chamber connected with said longitudinalt lyextending supply passage and communicable with such discharge port, anda valve stern passage extending longi- 40 tudinally through saidreceiving chamber whereby a valve stern located within said stem passageis lubricated by toothpaste within said receiving chamber.

6. The toothbrush handle of claim 5, wherein said transversely movablevalve control element comprises a button member hinged to said elongatedcomponent so as to impart limited longitudinal components to suchsubstantially transverse movement, thereby enabling said button memberto enforce displacement on such valve in a direction substantiallyparallel to the longitudinal axis of said elongated component when saidbutton member is depressed in a direction substantially transversethereto.

7. A toothbrush provided with a handle with a bristleequipped brushinghead at one end having a paste distributing passage extendingtherethrough and opening at one end into the bristle area of such headfor supplying toothpaste thereto, a pressurized toothpaste containerarranged for operative connection with said handle at another endthereof, a closure plug attached at its opposite ends to said containerand handle and having a passage therein communicable at one end with thetoothpaste in the container and at the other end with said pastedistributing passage, a valve in said plug passage for controlling theflow of paste from said container, said plug being exposed on the outerside of the toothbrush in common with the handle and container wherebyit may be gripped from the exterior of the brush to prevent detachmentof the plug from the container, and a valve control element on saidhandle for operative connection with said valve and being accessiblefrom the exterior of the handle for effecting movement of the valve toopen and closed positions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,764,772 10/ 1956 Staskowski etal. 401-190 2,987,743 6/ 1961 Capps 401-190X 3,137,885 6/1964 Hulsh401-190 3,231,923 l/l966 Gaines 401-190 FOREIGN PATENTS 620,860 7/1962Belgium 401--190 LAWRENCE CHARLES, Primary Examiner

